Chapter Twenty
Rose created some very pretty invitations – Sheila was thrilled by them – and these were duly sent out.
Almost everybody Hattie asked accepted, despite the very short notice, as she had felt sure they would.
A chance to dress up to go to a house they hadn’t been to before was always going to be popular, among the women at least.
Sheila had reiterated that she was not impressed by the length of Hattie’s guest list, insisting that she wanted her garden – and therefore her party – to be full.
So as well as her close friends and the estate agents, Hattie invited a couple of local solicitors – one had been really helpful over the negotiations for Nick’s house sale; Hattie was delighted that after some intense haggling his offer had been accepted – and a handyman and his wife.
This couple had rescued many a local with a suddenly blocked drain, missing roof tile or mysterious damp patch, several of them Hattie’s clients.
This was a thank you for their assistance over the years she had been in business.
Luke, however, was the only builder she asked, although he said, as he accepted the decorated card, that he was always booked for months ahead and really didn’t need to do any more extensions.
‘I’d still feel disloyal if I became friends with any other builders,’ she said.
‘That’s only right and proper,’ he said with a smile.
A couple of days before the party, Hattie went to see Mary with an invitation. She found her friend sitting in her chair, facing the garden, as usual.
‘Hello!’ she said brightly, having let herself in.
‘I’ve come to invite you to a party. It’s for my birthday,’ she added, giving Mary her invitation.
‘I know it’s a long shot, but if you thought you could manage it, I could bring you, and take you home.
You wouldn’t need to stay long if you didn’t want to. ’
Mary took the invitation. ‘It’s very pretty. Did Rose design it for you?’
‘Yes. She’s so clever.’
‘And remind me who Sheila is?’ asked Mary, reading the details.
‘The mother of the bride, Fiona. I told you all about it.’
‘Oh, yes. The awful man. You were so clever to stop the wedding. So is that why she’s giving you a party?’
‘Partly. But do you want to come?’
Mary shook her head. ‘To be honest, if parties don’t start at twelve midday and stop by half past one, I usually give them a miss. I love seeing people individually, but too many at once make me tired.’ Mary smiled reassuringly. ‘Now, would you like some tea?’
‘I’d love some. But I’ll make it.’
In the kitchen, possibly Hattie’s favourite room in a house she loved, she could see that Mary hadn’t done much cooking lately.
There was food in the cupboards (Hattie had ordered and put this away herself) but it wasn’t eaten.
As there was cheese and a couple of tomatoes, she made some sandwiches and cut them into quarters.
Mary could have any that were left over later.
‘I took the liberty of making us a snack,’ she said as she brought in the tray. ‘I suddenly had a longing for a cheese and tomato sandwich. I hope you don’t mind.’
‘They’re my favourite!’ said Mary, putting one of the small triangles on her plate. ‘You make them so neatly. Mine are always so lumpy.’
Hattie stayed until Mary had eaten three sandwiches and drunk two cups of tea.
Was she getting enough to eat? Hattie wondered.
Her appetite seemed OK, but she obviously couldn’t manage very much at a time.
Hattie resolved to come over the day after the party with some food and champagne.
She couldn’t bear the thought of Mary struggling on her own.
Rose called Hattie early on the morning of the party. ‘Have you used your Spidey senses to magic this perfect weather?’
‘I do not have Spidey senses, so no. But it’s good, isn’t it? Such a relief!’
‘When are you going over to Sheila’s?’
‘I’m going to pop in at lunchtime to see if anything needs doing, but otherwise, I’m frantically tidying up here so Leonie can stay. The good thing is, with Xander already at Luke’s, it’s only my own stuff I need file away out of sight.’
Rose laughed. ‘Well, call on me, if I can be of use. I’ve got my favourite mother-and-daughter team in the shop all day. And I’m very happy not to drink, if you and Leonie want to be picked up. It is your birthday, after all, in spite of you pretending it’s not.’
‘That would be nice,’ she said. ‘We could always get a taxi back. Leonie might need to stay late if she hits it off with Tom.’
‘We’ll be fine to stay late. I’ll clean out my car.’
‘Oh! Surely you don’t need to do that?’ Hattie was horrified at the thought of putting Rose to so much trouble.
‘I collected some lovely ceramics the other day, but they were packed in straw. It’s all over the seats now.’
‘OK. I will have Ms Picky with me.’
Hattie found herself surprisingly pleased to see her sister. She collected her from the station and they hugged affectionately.
‘You will see Xander. Luke’s bringing him to the party and you’ll have all of tomorrow to be with him. He’s such a nice boy.’
‘Is he? I’ve always found him rather difficult.’
‘I think college has matured him. And I told you his English teacher is coming to the party, didn’t I?’
‘Oh? Did you?’
‘Yes. Otherwise you won’t get a chance to meet him, and you wanted to, didn’t you? You couldn’t be at the parents’ evening.’ Hattie felt obliged to remind her sister. ‘He’s really nice.’
‘You always think the best of people, Hattie,’ said Leonie, but for once it didn’t sound like a criticism.
‘I don’t always,’ said Hattie, thinking about Lance. ‘Have you got something nice to wear? It’s a garden party, so you don’t want to be too formal. It’s not Buckingham Palace,’ she added quickly, knowing how her sister’s mind worked.
‘I’ve brought a couple of options,’ she said. ‘You can advise me. I don’t know our hostess.’
A few minutes later, when they reached the lodge, Leonie said, ‘Oh, is this it? It’s tiny! No wonder you thought Xander was better off staying with Luke.’
‘It’s too small for three.’
‘It’s pretty small for two,’ said Leonie.
‘It’s only temporary,’ said Hattie. ‘We’ve done it up a bit for now, but I’m aiming to move on soon.’
Leonie put down her case and eased her shoulders. ‘I’ve agreed to extend my time in Switzerland a little; they’re paying me so well. But I won’t do it again. I need to come home.’
‘But you’ve enjoyed your time abroad?’
‘Oh, yes. And I’ve saved money, but I’m missing Xander. And you.’
Hattie gave her a little hug. ‘And me you,’ she said, surprised to discover it was true. ‘Now, let me show you your bedroom. There’s a shower but no bath, I’m afraid.’
‘I do need a shower. Trains are always filthy. Have you a hair dryer? I need to wash my hair.’
Hattie never used a hair dryer herself but she had bought one specially for her sister. ‘I’ll let you borrow it if you promise to wear your hair down for my party.’
‘But I hardly ever wear it down!’ Leonie protested. ‘It looks so – unprofessional.’
‘It looks lovely down—’
‘Long hair on an older woman doesn’t look good,’ said Leonie firmly.
‘You’re in your early forties, that does not qualify as being older, not these days.’ Hattie was being unusually firm, she realised, possibly because her sister wasn’t being as bossy as usual.
‘OK. I did have it trimmed recently.’
‘Don’t you want a cup of tea or something first? Rose is taking us so we could have a glass of Prosecco.’
‘Oh, go on then,’ said Leonie.
As Hattie put her own new-to-her dress on and fluffed up the hair she’d washed that morning, she reflected that she and her sister had never done this ‘getting ready to go out together’ thing before.
It was surprisingly fun. Maybe it was the glass of Prosecco or maybe it was just a change of mood, but Leonie seemed open to Hattie’s suggestions about her hair and make-up.
The final effect was a dreamier, more relaxed Leonie in a lovely rose-covered vintage-style dress, knee-length and full.
It showed off her tiny waist and made her look curvy and slim rather than just thin.
Hattie was pleased with her own appearance too.
It was fairly casual in a longer, softer dress, but her hair looked OK and her make-up was nicely smudged under her eyes, making them look extra green.
She was just wondering if she needed different earrings when Leonie came into her room.
She stood behind Hattie as she looked in the mirror.
‘What about this?’ said Leonie, and picked up Hattie’s hair from the nape of her neck and twisted into a knot which she secured with a clip. Then she pulled out a few extra strands round Hattie’s face, letting them fall delicately. ‘There,’ she said. ‘Very Jane Austen. What do you think?’
Hattie was so surprised at her sister doing something so…
sisterly that she couldn’t speak for a moment.
Then she considered her reflection. It was different, but she still looked like herself.
‘I think I like it,’ she said. ‘I may get fed up with the clip halfway through the evening, but it’s nice to try new things. ’
The sisters were in surprising harmony when they got into the back of Sam and Rose’s car. Rose could hardly hide her disbelief.
Sheila’s garden looked magical. There was a gazebo with fairy lights and lanterns in the surrounding trees.
Beyond the gazebo was a summer house, and soft lights flickered there as well.
As Hattie was nominally one of the hostesses, they had arrived early, but there were a couple of people there already.
She was longing to see Fiona and Nick although they were nowhere to be seen.
‘This is really pretty!’ said Leonie as they went through the gate. ‘It gives me hope that if – when – I move to this area, I can still have a good social life.’